British lawmakers have approved a year-long trial of proxy voting for MPs on parental leave.<br />''  <br />''MPs have been discussing the idea for several months but matters came to a head when one of their numbers postponed a Caesarian section in order to vote in Britain's long-running Brexit saga.<br />'' <br />''The motion was passed late Monday. It will allow new parents to nominate a colleague to vote on their behalf.<br />'' <br />''Currently, MPs walk through two lobbies to cast their vote, effectively being counted in person.<br />'' <br />''If members cannot get to parliament to vote, they can pair up with an MP from the opposing side who likewise does not vote, so the overall outcome is unaffected.<br />'' <br />''As a last resort, a system is known as "nodding through" allows an MP's vote to be counted if they are on the parliamentary estate but cannot physically walk through the lobbies.<br />'' <br />''In the past, this has seen MPs vote by being driven through the estate in an ambulance.<br />'' <br />''Opposition Labour MP Tulip Siddiq postponed the birth of her son Raphael by Caesarean section so she could be wheeled into the chamber to vote on Brexit earlier this month.<br />'' she hoped that she would be the first MP to vote by proxy in today's crunch votes on Britain's Brexit strategy.<br />''    <br />''The vote marks a baby step in the right direction in bringing parliament into the 21st century.<br />'' <br />''The new proxy vote trial will also apply to MPs who have suffered a miscarriage.  <br />''<br />